Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Madison and our friends at REAP Food Group and other
great local organizations. As part of his visit, Secretary Vilsack discussed
the federal government’s efforts to support local agriculture through Farm to
School and other programs.
Secretary Vilsack’s visit
was a great way to kick off October, which is national Farm to School month. Strengthening local economies and
improving the health of our kids are goals we all share. Farm to School
programs meet these goals by connecting schools and local farms to provide
healthy and nutritious foods for students.
More than 100 Wisconsin
schools already have Farm to School programs in place, but many more lack the
resources to start or expand their programs.
Health First Wisconsin wants
to see kids across the state leading active, healthy lifestyles and eating
fresh, local produce. We applaud Secretary Vilsack and the federal government
for taking the lead on supporting local producers and promoting healthy, local
foods in our schools. We hope state leaders will take note and join the effort
to support the Farm to School movement in Wisconsin.
Farm to School programs encourage
healthier eating habits and academic success, and boost business for local
farmers. Students in Farm to School programs have been shown to eat more fruits
and vegetables and they build a foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits.
Farm to School programs also provide a valuable market for local farmers and
producers.
Anyone can join the movement
to promote Farm to School programs in Wisconsin by signing up at makefarm2schoolhappen.org.
There are currently 14
communities throughout the state working to support and grow Farm to School
programs in their counties through the Transform Wisconsin movement, which is
funded through the community transformation grant from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. To find out more about Transform Wisconsin communities,
please visit www.transformwi.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment